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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. TAYLOR, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

PEDESTAL FoFtCoF'FlNs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,109, dated December 28, 1880.

V Application liled September 6, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. TAYLOR, a

citizen of the United States, residing` at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pedestals for Oofns, of which the following` is a specilication.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus for use by undertakers for supportingcoftinsand caskets. The means or apparatus heretofore employed for that purpose are for the most part ungraceful in appearance, and are so constructed as to require considerable carriage-space when the undertaker transports them to the place of afuneral.

My invention consists in a pedestal for cofiins and caskets provided with a detachable base, a series of folding legs, which, when opened, rest in lorki iig-grooves in the base, and a folding top whose parts are arranged to be folded upward when not in use, the said parts heilig provided with grooves in their under surfaces to engage with the upper ends of the legs, so as to aid in locking them when opened for use.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an Ielevation of the pedestal, partly in section, showingI also. in dotted outline, the top of the apparatus when folded up for transportation. Fig. 2 is an elevation in edge view, showing the saine folded up,'detached from the locking-platform. Fig. 3 is an elevation, in side view, of the pedestal when folded up and detached from the locking-platform. Fig. 4 is a crosssection in the line x 0c, Fig. l, showing the divisions of the pedestal when open for use, and also showing a plan view of the locking-platform.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The letter A designates the base or platform, consisting of a block of any desirable outline, square, triangular, circular, or of other suitable shape, to provide astable support for the legs and top. The base is provided With grooves B to receive the feet of the legs C of the pedestal.

The letter D indicates a standard, the base of which is adapted to one of the grooves B in the base A, and to opposite sides of said standard are hinged the vertical legs O C by means of hinges E, and when these legs are hinged the divisions F of the folding` top of the pedestal, the inner edges of the said divisions being rabbeted at G on the under side,

so as to allow the divisions to fit over the top ofthe standard, the two rabbets together forming the equivalent of a groove. The under surfaces ofthe divisions F of the top are also provided with grooves H, into which the tops of the folding legs O O lit when the apparatus is extended and set up for use.

Two or more of my improved pedestals will ordinarily be required for use by an undertaker in supporting coflins and easkets for adults.

When the apparatus is not in use the top is folded'up in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and in dotted outline in Fig. and the legs are then lifted out of the grooves of the base and folded upon each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby allowing the apparatus in its detached and folded condition to be ar-A ranged in a comparatively small bulk and conveniently transported to the place where it is to loe used.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

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